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13 months ago ::
Jun 01, 2012 - 8:35PM
#1
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Date Joined:
May 27, 2012
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I hear a lot of praise from 4e from players but I hear little from 4e DMs. What would a 4e DM want from next?
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13 months ago ::
Jun 01, 2012 - 8:38PM
#2
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Date Joined:
May 19, 2011
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I've only DMed twice, but what DnDNext needs to have is making it simple to make a monster/adjust monsters to fit higher/lower levels if needed(which flatter math sounds like it'll make this much easier).
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13 months ago ::
Jun 01, 2012 - 8:47PM
#3
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Date Joined:
Aug 17, 2007
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Having DM'd the play test, I feel it has a way to go. The major issues I see so far are the poor quality monster statblocks, the lack of direction on exactly when to apply many of skill bonuses to an ability check (ie Natural Lore vs. Wilderness Lore vs. Survival), and the sheer volume of DM adjudication required. Going forward ease of adventure prep and monster customization will also be paramount, but we haven't seen anything on that yet.
D&D Next... for those who would rather play a version of D&D they dislike the least, rather than the one they like the most!
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13 months ago ::
Jun 01, 2012 - 8:51PM
#4
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Date Joined:
Jun 26, 2010
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I want everything the monster has to be on the sheet. Not having a list of spells that I then have to look up.
That was annoying in the past.
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13 months ago ::
Jun 01, 2012 - 8:52PM
#5
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Date Joined:
May 24, 2012
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I've only DMed 4e a couple times... No matter! What I want has already been mentioned. All I really ask for in monster adjustments, for DMs that plan to use them. And recommendations on how skills might interact with a monster would be nice too.
Disgruntled ghost of the Knights of W.T.F.
(Keep D&D alive, end the edition wars!)
"And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." - Friedrich Nietzsche
Disclaimer: Most of my posts are based on opinions (and are sometimes humorous, other times inspirational)
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13 months ago ::
Jun 01, 2012 - 9:04PM
#6
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I hear a lot of praise from 4e from players but I hear little from 4e DMs. What would a 4e DM want from next?
Monster customizability a.k.a 4E open monster design with charts that show average damage and effects at level, and allowed for custom powers with special effects.
A clear list of what is possible for characters and what kind of DCs to give them when they try things. See page 42 4E DMG.
Less bored players that try backflipping over enemies out of sheer boredom...
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13 months ago ::
Jun 01, 2012 - 9:23PM
#7
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Everything that lokiare just said, only more of it.
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13 months ago ::
Jun 01, 2012 - 9:40PM
#8
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Um...a solid rules set, with clear text that makes for easy and satisfying adjudication, whether planned or on the fly; one that, while empowering them to control their actions, paradoxically lowers rules-lawyering by having the underlying mechanics be so clear that DMs and players share the same understanding of what is and is not possible.
Essentials zigged, when I wanted to continue zagging.
Roll dice, not cars.
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13 months ago ::
Jun 01, 2012 - 10:16PM
#9
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Date Joined:
Sep 19, 2006
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Foxface gains Advantage  !! I want a clear, clean Monster stat block. What we got in the Bestiary is fine, except when I saw a list of spells. No more cross referencing PHB material for their abilities. I don't want to have to create Monsters just like PCs. I won't, and I think if I homebrew it it'll unbalance the game severly. I'd also like some more clear mechanics on Advantage and the best ways of granting it. Bring back the Disease Track. I hated how they portrayed Disease in the Caves of Chaos adventure. It's a DISEASE, not just some extra damage die. I'd also like to see Mob/Swarm rules too. Like others have said, Monsters need to be customizable, increasing/decreasing in level for a better fit. 4E had the right Idea but as you went past 5-6 levels of what was stated, it got weird. Also, recharge mechanics needs to be in place. Espically for Dragons and Breath Effects. I HATED "You breath fire! roll 1d4+1 rounds to see when you can do it again!" BS. No thanks.
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13 months ago ::
Jun 01, 2012 - 10:47PM
#10
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Date Joined:
Jan 28, 2004
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I've DM'd 4e since it came out.
The game I run is actually a little complicated - it's one story, one campaign, but each player has three characters, one in each tier. So we have a heroic tier party, paragon tier party and epic tier party all taking part in one big narrative (with each character having their own contributing story)
I mention this, because I don't think I could have run this campaign in 3.5.
I don't have as much time as I used to. I like to spend my time imagining the different turns that the plot may take in reaction to the PCs actions.
What does 4e give me that 3e doesn't?
Encounter Design is vastly superior. It's far easier to create balanced encounters quickly in 4e. The encounters tend to run more smoothly, (although not necessarily quickly) with fewer stopping points to look up some obscure rule, or to deal with some spells unforeseen complication.
Design by "Exception" turns out to be, on the whole, a good solution for creating monsters. In 3.5, the only way to designa challenging boss monster was to give him Spellcaster levels or spell-like abilities. Because NPC creation used the PC creation rules it was laborious and often pointless.
In 4e, I can pick a small number of appropriate powers and the bad guy is good to go in 10 minutes.
For me, any stat-block that will refer me to another source for information is a step backwards.
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